Harbin-Manzhouli Railway
Encyclopedia
Harbin-Manzhouli Railway or Binzhou Railway , is a double-track electrified arterial railroad in Northeast
China
between Harbin
and Manzhouli
on the Russian border. The line was originally built by Russia
as the western branch of the Chinese Eastern Railway
. Today, the 934.8 km (581 mi) Binzhou Railway remains a major rail transport corridor across Northeast China, traversing Inner Mongolia
and Heilongjiang
Province. Major cities and towns along route include Manzhouli, Hailar
, Yakeshi
and Zhalantun
in Inner Mongolia, and Qiqihar
, Daqing
, Anda
and Harbin in Heilongjiang.
grasslands, through the forests of the Greater Khingan
range, the oilfields of Daqing
and rich farmland of the Songhua River
valley to Harbin.
. The line was known as the Haman Railway or the Western Line. The eastern branch of the ECR ran from Harbin to Suifenhe. The entire ECR served as an alternative route to the Trans-Siberian Railway
. The railway was controlled by White Russians
for a time during the Russian Civil War
, and was jointly administered by the Soviet Union
and the Republic of China
from 1924 to 1935, when the USSR sold the ECR to Japan
. After the end of the World War II, the USSR regained control of the railway until 1952 when it was given to the People's Republic of China. The Harbin-Manzhouli line has since undergone substantial upgrades. The entire line has been double-tracked and electrified. The Manzhouli-Hailar section was the last to be double-tracked, in 2007. The line's carrying capacity increased six-fold.
The Binzhou Railway Bridge, which was built in 1901, is now a historical landmark protected by the city of Harbin.
Northeast China
Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...
China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
between Harbin
Harbin
Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River...
and Manzhouli
Manzhouli
- Administration :Manzhouli is divided into ten subdistricts and one town. Six of the subdistricts of Manzhouli are grouped into a district. Technically however, only a prefecture-level city can have districts, so Manzhouli's lone district is not officially listed.- History :In ancient times the...
on the Russian border. The line was originally built by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
as the western branch of the Chinese Eastern Railway
Chinese Eastern Railway
The Chinese Eastern Railway or was a railway in northeastern China . It connected Chita and the Russian Far East. English-speakers have sometimes referred to this line as the Manchurian Railway...
. Today, the 934.8 km (581 mi) Binzhou Railway remains a major rail transport corridor across Northeast China, traversing Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
and Heilongjiang
Heilongjiang
For the river known in Mandarin as Heilong Jiang, see Amur River' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. "Heilongjiang" literally means Black Dragon River, which is the Chinese name for the Amur. The one-character abbreviation is 黑...
Province. Major cities and towns along route include Manzhouli, Hailar
Hailar
Hailar may refer to:* Hailar River, part of the Russia-China border* Hailar District, district in Inner Mongolia, China...
, Yakeshi
Yakeshi
Yakeshi is a county-level city of Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.It has a population of 391,627 and an area of . It is situated next to the Hailar River east of Hailar District, the seat of Hulunbuir, and on the north side of the Greater Khingan Range.The city's economy is...
and Zhalantun
Zhalantun
Zalantun or Zhalantun , formerly known in Manchu as ' or , is a city with an estimated population of 132,408 and administrative division of Hulunbuir prefecture, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China. It is in the northeastern part of Inner Mongolia, in the southeastern foothills of the...
in Inner Mongolia, and Qiqihar
Qiqihar
- Subdivisions :Qiqihar is divided into 16 divisions: 7 districts , 8 counties and 1 county-level city .-Economy:...
, Daqing
Daqing
Daqing is a prefecture-level city in the west of Heilongjiang province of Northeast China. The name literally means "Great Celebration".Its population is 2,904,532 at the 2010 census whom 1,042,902 in the built up area made of 4 out of 5 urban districts It was founded in 1959 to house workers...
, Anda
Anda
-Places:*Anda, Heilongjiang, a city in Suihua, Heilongjiang, China**Anda Town*Anda, Norway, an island**Anda lighthouse*Anda, Bohol, the Philippines*Anda, Pangasinan, the Philippines*Anda, Afghanistan*Anda, Mymensingh, Bangladesh-Other uses:...
and Harbin in Heilongjiang.
Line Description
The Binzhou Railway begins in the west at Manzhouli's border crossing to Russia and runs eastward across the HulunbuirHulunbuir
Hulunbuir is a region that is governed as a prefecture-level city in northeastern Inner Mongolia, in the People's Republic of China. Its administrative center is located at Hailar District, its largest urban area. Major scenic features are the high steppes of the Hulun Buir grasslands, the Hulun...
grasslands, through the forests of the Greater Khingan
Greater Khingan
The Greater Khingan Range , also called the Greater Hing'an Range or Greater Hinggan Range, is a volcanic mountain range in the northeastern part of the People's Republic of China. The range extends roughly 1,200 km from north to south, narrowing towards the south...
range, the oilfields of Daqing
Daqing
Daqing is a prefecture-level city in the west of Heilongjiang province of Northeast China. The name literally means "Great Celebration".Its population is 2,904,532 at the 2010 census whom 1,042,902 in the built up area made of 4 out of 5 urban districts It was founded in 1959 to house workers...
and rich farmland of the Songhua River
Songhua River
The Songhua or Sunggari River is a river in Northeast China, and is the largest tributary of the Heilong River , flowing about from Changbai Mountains through Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces. The river drains of land, and has an annual discharge of .As the Second Songhua River, it joins the...
valley to Harbin.
History
The Harbin-Manzhouli Railway was built as the western branch of the Chinese Eastern Railway (ECR) by Czarist Russia from 1897 to 1902 with a concession from the Qing DynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. The line was known as the Haman Railway or the Western Line. The eastern branch of the ECR ran from Harbin to Suifenhe. The entire ECR served as an alternative route to the Trans-Siberian Railway
Trans-Siberian Railway
The Trans-Siberian Railway is a network of railways connecting Moscow with the Russian Far East and the Sea of Japan. It is the longest railway in the world...
. The railway was controlled by White Russians
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
for a time during the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
, and was jointly administered by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
from 1924 to 1935, when the USSR sold the ECR to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. After the end of the World War II, the USSR regained control of the railway until 1952 when it was given to the People's Republic of China. The Harbin-Manzhouli line has since undergone substantial upgrades. The entire line has been double-tracked and electrified. The Manzhouli-Hailar section was the last to be double-tracked, in 2007. The line's carrying capacity increased six-fold.
The Binzhou Railway Bridge, which was built in 1901, is now a historical landmark protected by the city of Harbin.